Some good ol' copy pasta: I got punched!
I finally got my helix dermal punched today at The Piercing Urge and I'm chuffed!
Prior to the punch:
I've been wanting a helix punch for almost a year, something to fill all my empty helix space. I decided that if I passed my college course I would do it. I passed, so I booked everything and went ahead. Originally I had decided to get punched by Timb Wilton at Third Eye Tattoo but he's no longer piercing and he recommended The Piercing Urge. After some research on them, I called and made an appointment. The woman who answered the phone, Danielle was polite and friendly and already made me feel good about the place over the phone so I made an appointment then went and made travel arrangements. I travelled over 4 hours to get a dermal punch and I'd say it was well worth it.
The day of the punch:
I woke up fairly late, shovelled as much breakfast into my face as I could stomach with the nerves and set off on the train from the Melbourne CBD out to Prahran. I was sitting on the train psyching myself out the entire way for no reason I could fathom. I'm pretty sure I got my friend worked up too.
Eventually we got to Prahran and got lost (aka. managed to go the long way around) trying to find TPU. When we did find it, we ventured up the stairs and into the studio's lobby. It was clean and inviting. I met the piercer, Pete and showed him the jewellery I had bought with me (several pairs of 2g plugs and a 4g plug along with a myriad of o-rings). He took away a 2g white GG colour front to auto clave and a silicone o-ring.
While I waited my turn (and while he pierced someone else's lip) I sat in the waiting area filling out a consent form, browsing the jewellery cases and flipping through the portfolios they had lined up on the coffee table. By this point my mouth was unbelievably dry and I was nervous. The place was very inviting, warm and comfortable so it put me at ease even slightly.
Eventually Pete came back out and looked over the forms I had filled out. We chatted about Albury (where I travelled from) and he asked me if I had any questions. I asked how many dermal punches he had done and he took a while to count them all off but answered with over 20, mostly helices.
I felt pretty comfortable with Pete. I didn't find him to be overly chatty but he was relatively friendly and straight to the point about everything. He also seemed to know what he was doing, which I expected and wasn't disappointed by.
Setting up for the punch:
Eventually he lead me into the piercing room and told me to sit while he washed up and prepared. He shone a light through my cartilage, checking for any major veins and decided that it was a-ok. Then he marked out a circle on my cartilage and showed it to me for approval. I was happy with the placement first go, so there was no need for re-marking.
He cleaned up my ear and then got me to lay down which is when I got confronted in the most awesome way by a toy cow stuck to the ceiling above the piercing bench. Danielle informed me that it was Daisy and I had a good laugh from such a great distraction method.
The punch:
Pete put tissue around my ear and in my ear canal and soon he had the dermal punch in hand and was ready to go. I shut my eyes and tried to relax. He told me to take a deep breath in and let it out and then another. On the second exhale he pushed the punch through.
I was expecting so much more pain than I experienced. I didn't even hear a crunch (although that may have been because my ear canal was stuffed with tissue). I felt a slight sharp, burning sensation. It was only uncomfortable at worst. I would say my nostril piercings were worse than this. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.
Pete cleaned up a little of the blood and then tapered my punch. I was expecting this to be hell but my expectations weren't met. The jewellery was in before I knew it and all I could feel was warmth and a slight stinging. My body was hypersensitive from the rush but I was elated. I asked him if the jewellery was in already and when he said yes, 'wow' was all I could say. Quick and relatively painless was what my experience was.
Afterwards:
I sat up and Pete showed me my 'ear biscuit'. My first thought was that it looked like a little burger. I did not eat it though but it was interesting to look at.
After the punch and after Pete had finished cleaning up (surprisingly I only soaked through three tissues with blood) he took me back out to the waiting area and I paid ($80) for the punch. He handed me an aftercare booklet and ran me through the basics (SSS 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks, 'it will probably bleed a bit at first', etc). He also gave me a bag of sea salt. I don't think I'll need more for a while!
I left feeling satisfied and then was the trouble of navigating back to our hotel. We managed it, with a few minor shopping escapades on the side.
My ear was stinging in the cooler air after I'd left and even now (several hours later) its minorly uncomfortable but not unbearable. The cooler weather here today isn't treating it well though. Aside from that, its feeling great and I'm glad I finally got dermal punched and at a studio that I wouldn't mind going back to for any other mods in the future!
During the procedure
Bleeding everywhere
My 'ear biscuit'
Straight afterwards, excuse the dusty lens.
After a good soak, still a bit crusty
In-ear. My lobes are currently downsized to 1/2" from 9/16". I'll be excited to play match-ups with my jewellery when it heals.
Prior to the punch:
I've been wanting a helix punch for almost a year, something to fill all my empty helix space. I decided that if I passed my college course I would do it. I passed, so I booked everything and went ahead. Originally I had decided to get punched by Timb Wilton at Third Eye Tattoo but he's no longer piercing and he recommended The Piercing Urge. After some research on them, I called and made an appointment. The woman who answered the phone, Danielle was polite and friendly and already made me feel good about the place over the phone so I made an appointment then went and made travel arrangements. I travelled over 4 hours to get a dermal punch and I'd say it was well worth it.
The day of the punch:
I woke up fairly late, shovelled as much breakfast into my face as I could stomach with the nerves and set off on the train from the Melbourne CBD out to Prahran. I was sitting on the train psyching myself out the entire way for no reason I could fathom. I'm pretty sure I got my friend worked up too.
Eventually we got to Prahran and got lost (aka. managed to go the long way around) trying to find TPU. When we did find it, we ventured up the stairs and into the studio's lobby. It was clean and inviting. I met the piercer, Pete and showed him the jewellery I had bought with me (several pairs of 2g plugs and a 4g plug along with a myriad of o-rings). He took away a 2g white GG colour front to auto clave and a silicone o-ring.
While I waited my turn (and while he pierced someone else's lip) I sat in the waiting area filling out a consent form, browsing the jewellery cases and flipping through the portfolios they had lined up on the coffee table. By this point my mouth was unbelievably dry and I was nervous. The place was very inviting, warm and comfortable so it put me at ease even slightly.
Eventually Pete came back out and looked over the forms I had filled out. We chatted about Albury (where I travelled from) and he asked me if I had any questions. I asked how many dermal punches he had done and he took a while to count them all off but answered with over 20, mostly helices.
I felt pretty comfortable with Pete. I didn't find him to be overly chatty but he was relatively friendly and straight to the point about everything. He also seemed to know what he was doing, which I expected and wasn't disappointed by.
Setting up for the punch:
Eventually he lead me into the piercing room and told me to sit while he washed up and prepared. He shone a light through my cartilage, checking for any major veins and decided that it was a-ok. Then he marked out a circle on my cartilage and showed it to me for approval. I was happy with the placement first go, so there was no need for re-marking.
He cleaned up my ear and then got me to lay down which is when I got confronted in the most awesome way by a toy cow stuck to the ceiling above the piercing bench. Danielle informed me that it was Daisy and I had a good laugh from such a great distraction method.
The punch:
Pete put tissue around my ear and in my ear canal and soon he had the dermal punch in hand and was ready to go. I shut my eyes and tried to relax. He told me to take a deep breath in and let it out and then another. On the second exhale he pushed the punch through.
I was expecting so much more pain than I experienced. I didn't even hear a crunch (although that may have been because my ear canal was stuffed with tissue). I felt a slight sharp, burning sensation. It was only uncomfortable at worst. I would say my nostril piercings were worse than this. I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.
Pete cleaned up a little of the blood and then tapered my punch. I was expecting this to be hell but my expectations weren't met. The jewellery was in before I knew it and all I could feel was warmth and a slight stinging. My body was hypersensitive from the rush but I was elated. I asked him if the jewellery was in already and when he said yes, 'wow' was all I could say. Quick and relatively painless was what my experience was.
Afterwards:
I sat up and Pete showed me my 'ear biscuit'. My first thought was that it looked like a little burger. I did not eat it though but it was interesting to look at.
After the punch and after Pete had finished cleaning up (surprisingly I only soaked through three tissues with blood) he took me back out to the waiting area and I paid ($80) for the punch. He handed me an aftercare booklet and ran me through the basics (SSS 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks, 'it will probably bleed a bit at first', etc). He also gave me a bag of sea salt. I don't think I'll need more for a while!
I left feeling satisfied and then was the trouble of navigating back to our hotel. We managed it, with a few minor shopping escapades on the side.
My ear was stinging in the cooler air after I'd left and even now (several hours later) its minorly uncomfortable but not unbearable. The cooler weather here today isn't treating it well though. Aside from that, its feeling great and I'm glad I finally got dermal punched and at a studio that I wouldn't mind going back to for any other mods in the future!
During the procedure
Bleeding everywhere
My 'ear biscuit'
Straight afterwards, excuse the dusty lens.
After a good soak, still a bit crusty
In-ear. My lobes are currently downsized to 1/2" from 9/16". I'll be excited to play match-ups with my jewellery when it heals.